What Is Subitising – and Why Is It So Important for Your Child?
If you’ve never heard the word “subitising” before, don’t worry — you’re not alone! But this powerful early maths skill plays a huge role in how your child learns to understand numbers, patterns, and eventually how to add, subtract, and more.
At Jump Start Maths, subitising is a key part of our active, play-based sessions for children aged 2.5–5— and once you understand it, you’ll start noticing it everywhere!
What Is Subitising?
Subitising (pronounced soo-bitising or suh-bitising — both are correct!) is the ability to instantly recognise how many things are in a small group, without counting. Think of rolling a dice — you don’t need to count each dot to know it’s a six. That’s subitising!
We’re actually born with this skill. Babies begin by recognising patterns of three — like the two eyes and one mouth of their caregiver’s face. Subitising comes before counting and lays the foundation for understanding more complex maths later on.
Why Is Subitising So Important?
Subitising helps children:
Understand what numbers really mean (not just recite them).
Spot patterns and relationships between numbers.
Recognise parts within a whole, e.g. "I see 2 and 1, so I know that makes 3."
Build early concepts of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.
When children can subitise confidently, they develop strong number sense — a skill proven to support long-term maths success.
Why Are So Many Children Struggling With Maths?
Many children are entering Reception not yet school-ready, especially when it comes to maths. They might know how to count to 10, but they don’t understand what “3” actually is. This is where subitising is essential.
How Do We Teach Subitising at Jump Start Maths?
In our classes, we help children subitise through:
Games and movement — jumping, balancing, racing and building.
Natural and sensory objects — like pebbles, pinecones, and toy animals.
Pattern spotting — in everyday objects and in nature.
Finger play and body actions — children often show numbers with their fingers before they can say them!
We don’t just ask “How many?” — we ask “What do you see?” This encourages children to observe, talk, and reason about what’s in front of them.
How Can You Support Subitising at Home?
Here are a few simple ways:
Look at snack plates! “Can you see 2 grapes and 1 slice of apple?”
Play with dice, dominoes, or buttons — notice the patterns.
Use fingers — hold up a number and ask what they see.
Go outside — look for petals, clouds, leaves and stones in groups of 1, 2 and 3.
Don’t rush to count — ask “What do you notice?” first.
Subitising is So Much More Than Dice Patterns
Lots of online resources focus on dice alone, but subitising can (and should!) happen with anything — peas on a plate, toy cars in a line, or spots on a ladybird.
It’s not just a maths skill — it’s a noticing skill. And noticing is how learning begins.
Come and Join Us
We’re passionate about helping children become confident, curious mathematicians — and subitising is one of our favourite tools to get them there.
📍 Book a Jump Start Maths taster session and see how we use movement, fun, and meaningful learning to help your child get school ready — the playful way.
👉 www.jumpstartmaths.com/booking
📲 Follow us on Instagram/Facebook: @JumpStartMaths
Want to Learn More?
Much of the inspiration behind our approach to subitising comes from the brilliant work of Karen Wilding at EYMaths. If you’re keen to explore more, check out www.eymaths.co.uk or follow @eymaths_ on Instagram.